Disney News

Sunday, April 4, 2010

This week, the WDW Radio Show listed their top 10 attraction vehicles. Here at AI, we love lists, and we love offering our unqualified opinion, so here’s our list (in no particular order (we’re too lazy to actually rank these things)):

10. Mission: Space – sure it’s cramped and (for many) nausea inducing and it has lousy headache-causing screens, but it’s got buttons. Buttons! That light up and click! In all seriousness, I like the attention to detail and the unique experience offered by this attraction vehicle.

9. Toy Story Mania – Already a classic attraction, the ride vehicles continue the theme and have just enough technology to support the attraction without distracting from the experience (I’m looking at you SpaceShip Earth).

8. Tower of Terror – Just a marvel of engineering that on the surface seems relatively simple. However, even now, the movement of the elevator through a 3 dimensional space is surprising and thrilling.

7. American Adventure – OK, so it’s not a vehicle, but I want to point out the amazing engineering behind this audio-animatronics show. Those who have taken the Behind the Magic tour have seen the machinery required to support the quick scene changes and complex audio-animatronics of this show.

6. Peter Pan – Just a great vehicle that adds to the attraction and fully supports the theme.

5. Winnie the Pooh – Now I know there are many that dislike this attraction, and you can certainly fault many of the cardboard scenes, but the vehicle is very good. The extra vehicle motion really adds to the story and provides a much more immersive experience.

4. Dinosaur – An impressive display of technology, this vehicle makes the attraction so much better. Now, would someone please turn on the lights please!

3. Soarin’ – Who knew a movie about California could be an E-ticket level attraction with ridiculous wait times? I guess Disney did. From its Erector Set beginning, this “vehicle” has changed the way we think of movie presentations in theme parks.

2. Rock’N’Roller Coaster – I’m not usually a fan of blaring music, but this ride vehicle is themed well and sounds great. A perfect complement to a frenetic ride.

1. Monorail – This might be more mode of transportation than attraction, but I love the monorail. Nothing tells me I’m at Disney more than that first ride on the Monorail.